A/N: Well, this is the first time I've written an AU, but I've had this idea floating around for a long time, and I finally figured out how to make it work. I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I don't own any HP characters. All my love to J.K.R.

It was a bright and beautiful morning. It was the beginning of summer, and the birds were as enthusiastic as ever, singing their songs of praise to Mother Nature. Butterflies flitted about the pet store window, seeming to say, "Let us in! We want to join in the fun!"

Remus Lupin sat at a desk against the back wall. If only you knew, he thought. The butterflies seemed to sense his negativity and flew away from the window. Remus wished he could join them. This was absolutely the worst summer job in the history of summer jobs. The fact that he hadn't taken that position at the movie theatre was something that would forever taunt him. You could have had me! it seemed to say. A free bag of popcorn every day! But he had signed a contract, and therefore signed his life away, on June 11, and it didn't let up until September 3rd. So, every day from Monday to Friday, 10 to 3, he was forced to work at Hank's Kuddly Kritters, the Ks being totally unnecessary and highly annoying.

He sighed. Here goes day 12. Probably just as boring as all the other days at Hank's Cuddly Crap. In his mind, the Ks were gone. He really hated them.

There was a snore from the chair next to him. Remus was just about to wake the sleeping girl, when—

"LILY!"

"HACKLNAGH!" she screeched, smashing her head on the cash register as she sat up abruptly.

"No need to freak," said Hank, winking at her in the creepiest possible way. It didn't take much coming from a balding 45-year-old man with a bristly mustache. "I just need you to check on the new terrier. Ok?"

"Right," she said, rubbing her head and standing up. Remus gave her a look that said, "I'm terribly sorry," and she nodded in acceptance before disappearing down an aisle.

"As for you, you'll be needing to carry in my food crate. I trust you can handle that, being a spry young lad of—umm—how old are you, again?"

"Seventeen," said Remus, for what was at least the seventeenth time.

"Yes, seventeen. Well, it's out back, just put it in the store room, yup, get to it." And he jumped back into his office and slammed the door behind him. Remus suspected the only thing in Hank's office was an old TV and lots of tapes of "Girls Gone Wild." He shook his head, walked out the back door, and slammed directly into someone.

"Ow! This is store property, you know, no trespassing and all that," said Remus, standing up and brushing himself off.

"SORRY, sorry, thought this was the front door, here, let me help you," said the apparently kind stranger, brushing dirt off Remus' back. Remus looked up. It was a boy about his age, slightly taller than Remus, and with shaggy black hair.

The boy stuck his hand out. "I'm Sirius Black, apparently the master of crashing into people when they least expect it, although if I crashed into them when they were expecting it, they would probably prevent me and then beat me up…anyway! Who're you?"

"Remus Lupin. Store employee." Unfortunately.

"You're an employee? Fantastic! I hope you can put your presumably not-so-great first impression of me aside, because I'm actually looking to get a job here."

"Oh. Oh. Umm, look, I'll save you the trouble and tell you right now, you don't want to work here. The work itself is easy enough, but it's boring and the pay is terrible. You'd probably be better off at the movie theatre…"

"Oh, they wouldn't take me at the theatre. Something about talking too much and distracting the customers. At any rate, I'm sure my skills can be put to better use here."

"If you're skilled in cleaning up poo," said Remus.

"I happen to be a master," said Sirius. "In fact, I have a degree in it." He grinned. The intensity of the whiteness of his teeth made Remus want to shield his eyes. "Well, I'll introduce you to Hank," said Remus. "If you're sure you want to work here." He put his hand on the doorknob.

"If everyone here is as helpful as you, I'm sure I'll have no problem feeling at home."

Turn your smile down, Remus wanted to say, but instead he politely smiled back and opened the door.

Hank was standing in the middle of the store knee-deep in a trough of green liquid. Lily was by his side with a sponge and a bottle of disinfectant.

"Oh God," Remus moaned, pulling the door shut before Sirius could see inside. "Hank is, umm, a bit tied up right now, I don't think it's the best time to talk to him."

"All right," said Sirius mildly, and he sat down on a nearby crate. Remus suddenly remembered what he had gone out to do in the first place. "Umm, that crate you're sitting on…I need to bring it in," said Remus.

"Oh!" said Sirius, jumping up. "Sure. Do you want me to help you?"

"Well, I guess. If you want." Something about this was awkward. Remus scratched his head and tried to think of what it could be. Nothing came to mind.

"I'll get this end, you get the other."

"Right."

Remus sincerely hoped that Hank would be out of his predicament. He reached behind him, turned the doorknob, and pushed the door open with his back.

Remus' hope had evidently not been sincere enough.

The situation had managed to get worse. Hank now had one foot out of the trough and onto a rubber bathmat. Lily was scrubbing at his leg, on which he wore a fuzzy winter boot. As soon as Remus walked in, she gave him a look that said, "Where have you been, you little—" but it was cut off by the fact that Sirius had come into her view. He smiled at Lily and then at Hank.

"Who's this?" asked Hank, voice booming for no apparent reason.

"Sirius Black, sir," Sirius said, setting down his end of the crate. Remus followed suit. For some reason Sirius didn't seem at all fazed by the scene in front of him. He continued, "I'm looking for a summer job, and I ran into Remus out there—I mean, literally, ran into him—and—"

"WHAT?" Hank shrieked.

"He got goo in his ears," Lily sighed.

"…Goo?" Remus asked.

"Lord if I know," replied Lily, shaking her head and walking towards them. She addressed Sirius. "Hey. I'm Lily, Remus' partner in crime, although I suppose now I'll be getting replaced by you."

She is rather intimidating. Better stay on her good side. "No, well—" began Sirius.

"I'm just kidding," she said, shaking his hand. Remus dragged the crate into the storage room.

"So what's going on with the trough?" asked Remus when he had returned.

"He found it in the storage room and tried to clean it. Oh well, my work here is done. I'm gonna let him deal with it now," Lily said.

"LILLLLYYYYY!"

"Crap."

The three teenagers walked back into the main part of the store. Hank had his other leg out and was toweling it down. He motioned for Lily to come closer. She obliged, rolling her eyes.

"LILY," he said in what he obviously thought was a whisper, but was more like a bullhorn, "WHAT'S WITH THE RANDOM KID? DID HE SAY HE WAS REMUS' BOYFRIEND? 'CAUSE I GOTTA ADMIT, I NEVER SUSPECTED THE BOY BATTED FOR THE OTHER TEAM, ALTHOUGH HIDDEN DEPTHS, I SUPPOSE, HIDDEN DEPTHS."

Following this outburst, no one spoke until Lily walked back over and finally said, "Is he your boyfriend?"

"No!" Remus and Sirius shouted simultaneously.

"Oh. Well, I'm gonna go take a nap," said Lily, and she walked away yawning.

Remus turned to Sirius. "Are you sure you want to work here?" he asked incredulously.

Sirius shrugged. "How much worse can it get?"

Remus put his head in his hands. He knew from experience it could get much, much worse.

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